Science Curriculum Map

First Grade

Draft March 2009

 

 

 

ESSENTIAL QUESTION (optional)

CONTENT

SKILLS

ASSESSMENT

RESOURCE

August

 

 

 

 

 

September

 

 

 

What is weather? 

 FOSS Air and Weather Unit and materials.

 

Weather describes conditions in the air outside.  Weather conditions change over time.

 Communicate processes.

Understand that scientists called meteorologists use tools to observe weather conditions.  Temperature is measured with a thermometer, rain gauges measure how much rain or snow has fallen, and clouds are made of water drops.

 Science Notebook:

Weather observations date/picture/written response.

 Related books and tools for students to use in monthly weather charts and observations.

October

 

How does weather change daily and seasonally?

 Notice which local weather conditions change from season to season.

 

Weather observations can be organized and used to make comparisons.

 Continue to observe and record daily weather changes.  Compare changes that have happened in the daily weather.  Report results.

 FOSS weather calendar.

*Graph weather results, # of days etc.

 FOSS Air and Weather materials and related books.

November

 

What causes wind? 

Where is air?

What tools do Meteorologists use?

 

Wind is moving air.  Bubbles can show the changing direction and speed of the wind.  Meteorologists use tools to determine the direction and speed of the wind.

 Wonder and ask questions based on observations or wind and air.

 

Make predictions of the results of an investigation using air/bubbles/ and other materials in the wind.

 FOSS Assessments

Notebook: 

If I were a Meteorologist, I would use...

Kite Assessment

 FOSS:

Air and Weather materials

 

Related books

December

 

 

 

 

 

January

  What are properties of solids? What are properties of liquids

FOSS Solids and Liquids Unit and Materials.

We use our senses to observe properties.  Liquids pour and take on the shape of their container.

            Make observations of solids and liquids and how they react in different situations.

 

February

How is the behavior of small solids similar and different to that of liquids?   How can solid particles be separated with a screen?

Observe and record the characteristics of solids and liquids and how they interact together.          

Observe how water changes from a solid to a liquid and back again based on external temperature changes.            FOSS Assessments

Notebook Assessment  

FOSS Solids and Liquids materials and related books.

March

What makes an insect an insect?

Insects have characteristic structures and behaviors.  Insects have different structures for eating different kinds of food. Insects can live underground, above ground and in water.  

 

Observation, recording characteristics and changes observed with pictures and words.  Collecting data and tracking changes on a calendar.

FOSS Assessment (see sheet #5) “How can you tell if something is an insect?”

FOSS Insects Materials and related books.

April

 

What is the life cycle of a butterfly?

 

Insects (like butterflies) need all the above.  The life cycle of a butterfly is:  egg, larva, pupa, and adult.

 

Understanding and use of vocabulary of the butterfly life cycle and comparison of butterflies to other insects.

 

FOSS Assessments

Draw and label the life cycle of a butterfly.

 FOSS Insects Materials and

related books.

Butterfly larva ordered from Insect Lore.

May

What organisms live at the rocky shore beach, observable at low tide?  How do these organisms depend on each other and their environment to survive?

Students will observe and identify barnacles, hermit crabs, mussels, seaweed, crabs, and clams at Birch Bay State Park.  Students will begin to understand the interdependence and life cycle of these organisms.

Observation, recording characteristics observed with pictures and words, collecting data, vocabulary of seashore creatures found, comparisons of the various creatures found at low tide.

Teacher observation of student journals which show creatures found at low tide on a rocky shore at Birch Bay State Park.

Teacher generated materials, Ranger Rick Nature Scope Diving into Oceans,  Delta Science Kit.

June